Automatic dumping-cage



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W. K. GORDON. AUTOMATIO DUMPING OAGB. N0.594,73O. T Patented Nov.30,1897.

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W. K.GORDON. y AUToMATGDUMPING GAGE. No. 594,736. Patented Noy'fjiBO,1897.

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W/TNESSES /NVE/gl? m QM M y By Nrrnn STATES WILLIAM K. GORDON, OFTHURBER, TEXAS.

AUTOMATIC DUMPING-CAG E.

SPECIFICATION forming-part of Letters Patent No. 594,736, dated November30, 1897.

Application tiled June 25, 1897. Serial No. 642,345. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM KNOX GOR- DON, of Thurber, in the county ofErath and State of Texas, have invented a new and Improved AutomaticDumping-Cage, of which the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription.

My invention relates to an improvement in dumping-cages especiallyadapted for use in the shafts of coal and other mines.

The object of the invention is to so construct and hang thedumping-platform of v the cage that it will obviate all pounding andracking of the guides and tower-building, the said platform turning upona true circle.

Another object of the invention is to provide for automaticallyrestoring the platform to a horizontal or carrying position after it hasbeen dumped and at the same time locking the platform and also toprovide means for automatically unlocking the platform, enabling it todump.

Another object of the invention is to provide a simple and effectivemeans for lookin g a car upon the platform.

A further object of the invention is to provide a platform capable ofdumping at either end and means for preventing coal from spilling fromthe platform or the car into the shaft and endangering the lives of thecagers below. y l

The invention consists in the novel construction and combination of theseveral parts, as will be hereinafter fully set forth, and pointed outin the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part ofthis specification, in which similar characters of reference indicatecorresponding parts in all theiigures.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the improved cage. Fig. 2 is a centraltransverse section through the cage and a portion of the shaft. Fig. 3is a vertical longitudinal section through the cage. Fig. 4 is atransverse section on the line 4 4 of Fig. 2, the body of the car havingbeen broken away; and Fig. 5 is a transverse section taken substantiallyon the line 5 5 of Fig. 3.

The fixed platform A of the cage consists of cross-beams 10, upon whichlongitudinal beams 11 are laid and secured, and the crossbeams extendbeyond the longitudinal beams,

cured to the outer side face of the fixed platform A at the center, andthe said guide-plate is secured at the top to the ends of the crownbeam14. Guide-strips 1S are located at each side of each guide-plate 17, atthe vlower end of the latter,ras illustrated in Figs. 1, 4, and 5, theguide-strips 18 extending outward from the sides of the fixed platform Aand are separated a predetermined distance from the guide-plates. Theguide-strips18/are of metal and are attached to the guide-plates at thetop by cross-bars 19 and are secured to the platform A at the bottom bybrackets 20, (shown in Fig. 5,) secured to the outer faces of theplatform, and likewise by a bracket 21, secured on the platform and tothe inner face of both the guide-plates and the inner edges of theguide-strips, vas shown in Fig. 5.

At each end of the fixed platform A a shield 22 is secured, extendingfrom side to side, and these shields are given a downward and outwardinclination, as is particularly shown in Figs. 3 and 5. The shaft B isrepresented as consisting of two side sections which may be properlyconnected, and each side section comprises end uprights 23, connected byhorizontal beams 24, and an upright beam 25, which is secured to theinner faces of the horizontal beams 24 at or near their centers, asillustrated in Fig. 5. Each upright beam 25 serves as a guide for thecage and is pro vided with a metal wear-plate 25a. In addition to theuprights and beams above mentioned in the construction of the shaft twoshorter uprights 26 are located, one at each side of the guide-beam 25,being also on the inner portion of the shaft, and the uprights 26, ifnecessary, may be carried from the bottom of the shaft or may stop atany point in the length of the same, but of necessity the side uprights26 terminate below the point where the cage is to discharge its load, as

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illustrated in Fig. l. In practice the uprights need not be any longerthan required to bring the dumping-platform of the cage to itshorizontal position, such being the function of the said uprights, butauxiliary devices may be employed to assist the uprights in restoringthe dumping-platform to its carrying position. Longitudinal plates 2Sare secured to the cross-bars 12 at each side of the fixed platform A,and on each of the plates 2S a box or a bearing 2S is secured. A bolt 29is held to slide in one of the boxes or bearings, and a bolt 29 hasmovement in the opposing box or bearing. rlhe bolt 29 at its iuner endis pivotally connected with a lever 30, fulcrumed upon a suitablesupport, and the outer end of the lever 30 is pivotally attached to alink 3l, which extends, for example, toward the right-hand side of the`fixed platform A and is connected with an arm 33, which extends beyondthe right-'hand side of the platform and carries a frictionroller 34.The opposite bolt 29 is pivot-ally connected to a lever 30, the saidlever in its turn being pivotally attached to a link 3l, extending indirection of the left-hand side of the fixed platform A, as is shown inFig. 5, the outer end of the lever 3l being attached to an arm 33, whichis carried beyond the left-hand side of the platform A and is providedWitha friction-roller 34, The link 3l moves in a suitable guide 32, anda corresponding guide 32 is provided for the link 3l. Springs 55 bearone against the inner end of each bolt 29 and 29, the said springs alsohaving bearing against longitudinal bars 55, secured upon the cross-barsl2 of the aforesaid fixed platform. The springs 55 tend to hold thebolts in their extreme outer position.

A truss 35 is secured upon the fixed platform A at each side thereof,and each truss is made to carrya box 3G. (Shown in Fig. 2.) The cage isprovided above the fixed platform A with a dumping-platform C.'lhisdumping-platform usually consists of side beams 37, connected bysills 3S and'upper cross-bars 39, upon Which a floor 40 is laid. Atrack4l is secured longitudinally upon the said floor near each side of thedumping-platform, extending from end to end thereof, as shown in Fig. 4.These tracks 4l are substantially L- shaped in cross-sectionand receivethe wheels 42 of a car 43, the Wheels being mounted upon suitable axles44, attached to the car. The car is held in place on the platform bymeans of bolts 45 and 45, which bolts are adapted to extend throughopenings in the upright portions of the rails between the wheels of thecar. The bolt 45 has movement in a bearing 46 and the bolt 45 in abearing 4G, as shown in Fig. 4. The bolt 45 is attached to a lever 47,near the center of the latter, the lever being fulcrumed at one end onthe flooring of the dumping-platform or to other suitable support, andthe bolt 45 is in like manner connected With a lever 47, which ispivoted to the dumpirig-platform at the end opposite to the pivoted endof` the lever 47, so that the pivot of one lever is near one end of thedumping-platform, while the pivot of the other lever is near theopposite end of the said platform. The front ends of the two levers 47and 47 are pivotally connected by links 4S with a n1anipulating-lever49, which is usually operated by hand, the manipulat ing or hand lever49 being pivoted at its center, and its ends extend beyond the links 4S.By the operation of the hand-lever 49 the bolts 45 and 45 may be carriedto the position to lock the car on the platform or be Withdrawn fromlockin engagement with the car.

At the central portion of each side of the dumping-1; latform C bars 50are carried upward through the platform and at their upper ends are bentover the platform, the bars 50 at each side of the dumping-platformbeing connected by a beam or cross-bar 5l, to which beam or cross-bar alongitudinal spring 2 is secured. These springs 52 serve as brake-shoesand will hear firmly upon the upper peripheral surfaces of the wheels ofthe car when the car has been properly placed on the platform, andtherefore each group of bars 50 and the spring 52, carried thereby, maybe termed a brake device.

A shaft 53 is secured upon the under side of the dumping-platform at itscenter, and the shaft is reduced at its extremities to form spindles,which are j ournaled in the boxes 3.6, as shown in Fig. 2. Under thisconstruction the dumping-platform has a central pivoted bearing and maywork readily Without any jar to the cage or to the shaft in which thecage moves. A segment 54 is attached to the under side of thedumping-platform at each side thereof, and the bottom of the segmentclosely approaches the upper face of the fixed platform A of the cage.Each segment is preferably strengthened by braces 5G, (shown in Fig. 3,)and each segment at its lower central portion is provided with anopening 57, adapted when the dumping-platform is in its horizontalposition to receive the bolts 29 and 29, located on the fixed platformand herctofore described, as shown in Fig.4 5.

At a point slightly below that portion of the shaft B at which theplatform is to be dumped inclined blocks or projections 00 are securedto the inner face of the shaft, being so located that as the cage isdrawn upward the rollers 34 and 34, projecting beyond the sides of theiixed platform, Will engage with the blocks and forceinward the arms toWhich the rollers are attached and cause the levers connected with saidarms to Withdraw the bolts 29 and 29 from engagement with the segments54, permitting the dui'nping-platform to be inclined at either end todischarge its load.

Fixed shafts 5S are secured at the top and bottom of each end portion ofthe dumpingplatform, and these shafts are provided at XOO IIO

their outer ends with friction rollers 59. When the cage is located inashaft, the guideplate 17 of the cage will engage with the wearplates aon the guide-beams 25 of the shaft, while the guide-strips '18, carriedby the cage, will engage with the side faces of the said guide-beams 25,as shown in Figs. t and 5, and these side faces of the guide-beams maybe protected by metal, if desired. Vhen the shorter beams 26, whichserve in the capacity of guides for the said dumping-platform while theplatform is in its horizontal position. The beams 26, however, haveanother function. After the load has been dumped and thedumping-platform is yet in its dumping position and the cage is loweredthe rollers 59 at the depressed end of the dumping-platform will strikeupon the wear-plate 27 of the adjacent short guide-beams 26, and therollers, moving along the tops of these shorter guidebeams,willgradually restore the dumping-platform to its horizontal position andwill then travel down the sides of the said shorter guide-beams. As soonas the dumping-platform has assumed its horizontal position thespring-controlled bolts 29 and 29a will enter the openings 57 in thesegments 54 and lock the dumping-platform in its carrying position.

One of the main features of the invention consists in centrally pivotingthe dumpingplatform and providing for its being auto.- matically lockedin the carrying position, and another essential feature of the inventionlies in the shields 22, as shown in Fig. l, since when the platform isbrought to its dumping position the floor of the platform4 at itsdepressed end will be in alinement with the upper inclined surface ofthe shield at the corresponding end of the fixed platform, and thematerial delivered from the car will pass over this shield and beconducted thereby entirely outside of the shaft, thus preventing thepossibility of any of the coal or material carried by the car fallinginto the shaft and endangering the lives of the cagers below.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patentl. The combination with a cage anda fixed platform, ofa dumping-platform fulcrumed above the fixed platform, a segmentextended downward from the dumping-platform and anautomatically-actuated locking device for said segment.

2. The combination, with a cage, its fixed platform and boxes supportedby the fixed platform, of a dumping -platform provided with a centralshaft entering the said boxes, segments extending downward to the iixedplatform, and locking devices for the segments.

3. The combination, with a cage and its fixed platform, of adumping-platform centrally fulcrumed above the fixed platform,

segments extending downward from lthe dumpingplatform, and springcontrolled bolts capable of being operated in an automatic manner,arranged for lookin g engage- 'ment with the said segments.

1t. The combination, with a cage and its fixed platform and shieldslocated at the ends of the fixed platform,having downwardvand outwardinclination and extending from side to side of the platform,of adumping-platform located Vabove the fixed platform, the iioorsection ofthe said dumping-platform at its ends being arranged to register withthe inclined face of one of the said shields when the upper platform isin dumping position.

5. In acage for mining purposes,a fixed platform and a dumping-platformlocated above the fixed platform, and inclined shields attached to theend portions of the fixed platform,extending from side to side, theinclination of the shields being such that when the dumping-platform iscarried to a dumping position the material will be conducted bythe saidshields beyond the ends of the fixed platform of the cage, for thepurpose described.

6. A cage for mining purposes, consisting of a fixed platform, adumping-platform pivoted above the fixed platform, guide-platesextending upward from the fixed platform at each side, and guide-stripslocated at the sides of each guide-plate, extending outwardly at anangle thereto, for the purpose specified.

7. In a cage for mining purposes, the combination, witha'dumping-platform, segments attached to said dumping-platform, and afixed platform over which the segments have movement, ofspring-controlled bolts adapted to normally have locking engagement withthe said segments, levers connected with the' said bolts, and trips forthe said levers, extending beyond opposite sides of the said fixedplatform, for the purpose described.

8. In a cage for mining purposes, a fixed platform, a dumping platformsupported upon the fixed platform and pivoted to its center, andinclined shields secured at the ends of the fixed platform, havingdownward and outward inclination and arranged for registry with theHoor-section of the depressed end of the dumping-platform, as described.

9. The combination, with a dumping-platform provided with tracks toreceive a car, bolts carried by said platform, arranged to enter thespace between the wheels of the car, means for operating said bolts, andbrakes supported over the side portions of the platform, in aposition toengage with the upper portion of the wheels of a car.

WILLIAINI K. GORDON.

Witnesses:

THos. R. HALL, G. C. HAMILTON.

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